CRUSADER
photos ex Mac Taylor collection & Ken Ricketts. Details ex Harold Kidd
Crusader was built for Rev. Jasper Calder and Charlie Goldsboro by Collings & Bell in the winter of 1929, originally without her later bridgedeck. She replaced Calder’s 20ft mullet boat Ngaro. During the 1930’s Calder would hold church services aboard the launch in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island during the summer cruising season.
The photo (MTC) above shows Crusader running down the harbour on her way to winning the NZ Power-Boat Association’s race for the ‘My Girl Trophy’ for cruisers steered by ladies. The insert is of Miss E Herrick, who was at the helm.
The xmas 1948 photo (KR) below shows Crusader anchored in Mansion House Bay, Kawau Island. By this stage she was sporting a bridgedecker
29-01-2016 photo of CRUSADER (1935) ex Nathan Herbert
31-01-2016 Update ex Paul Drake
Recent photo of CRUSADER – taken Feb 2015 at Whangamata from on board Paul’s brother Nigel’s launch FREELANCE..
LOST – we are still trying to track down the ‘My Girl Trophy’ so if anyone has it tucked away, drop us a note.
Also if anyone had an old NZ Power-Boat Assn. burgee, I would love one………… you can see it flying on the bow of Crusader (has a propeller in the center). Would swap a ww t-shirt for the burgee 😉
Looking for a classic wooden boat fix in the weekend?
Visit the Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition at the Viaduct. Hosted by the Tino Rawa Trust.
This years feature designer is Des Townson. The exhibition will showcase the best of his designs in two displays – a static out of water display of the Starling, Zephyr and Mistral sailing dinghies and rafted up on the Visitors Berth will be a selection of bespoke Townson yachts including ‘Serene’, ‘Moonlight’, ‘Talent’, ‘Infinity’ and the one & only launch Des designed ‘Aristos’ will be there as well. You can view more on Aristos here https://waitematawoodys.com/2015/03/09/aristos/
In the exhibition marquee will be half models and memorabilia.
TIMES: Saturday 3rd October and Sunday 4th October between 10am to 4pm. Entry is FREE
LOCATION: Karanga Plaza and Visitors Berth, Viaduct Harbour. (Between Team New Zealand Base and the Viaduct Event Centre).
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The Nathan Herbert photo could not have been taken in 1935 because TIROMOANA was not built then — it would have had to have been 1936-37 at least — KEN R
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Tom
I will add your name & details to the back-order list for the AMYC burgee.
Cheers Alan H
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Alan, thanks for the info on the Burgee.
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The NZ Power Boat Association changed its name to Auckland Motor Yacht Club in October 1939. It kept the NZPBA’s burgee which it had adopted in 1905.
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PS, If there is one available, I would like one for old times sake, thanks,
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Alan, the burgee you refer to, I have always believed it to be the Auckland Motor Yacht Club members burgee as Mac McGeady always flew it on Antares and later Aquila, it was my job as a boy to always put it up early in the morning and bring it down at sunset. I don’t think he had anything to do with the Power Boat Assn. What are your thoughts? Have a great day.
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New photo/s of Crusader added. AH
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Have looked back to the post of 26th January 2015 labelled AUCKLAND ANIVERSARY DAY REGATTA which shows an excellent pic of MANOWAI off Westhaven in 1946. The comparison is strikingly similar to the new pic above..
B.T.W. TIRO must have only been about one to 2 years old, when the above was taken.– KEN R
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Absolutely fabulous photo by the way. Thanks so much for sharing it Nath. Beautiful illustration & record of another little bit of our boating history. Loved it — KEN R
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TIROMOANA is next to CRUSADER, & am fairly certain in the 1939 pic posted Jan 2016, it is also a fairly early pic of MANOWAI, — middle boat of the 3 in front of CRUSADER & TIRO. — The number of portholes & positions match other pics, & when I was first aboard her c1943 -44 she had a stern exhaust on the port side just above the waterline — (not a position used a lot in that era in my experience, the majority of boats seemed to have side exhausts as I saw it), & the boat in this pic appears also to have her exhaust in exactly the same place — What do others think? – TIRO Is also sporting her original livery. — lovely — KEN R
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Crusader 1939
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Ron
Email the photos to me at the address below & I will post them. VERY interested to hear more about the ‘My Girl’ trophy. Alan H
waitematawoodys@gmail.com
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I know of the boat Crusader and its present owner who has been doing her up, Its still a gem
I will get some photos and post them on your site based at Whangamata owner is John Hopcroft
[Hoppy ] It still has the stained glass window and other photos dating back May even have something about the My Girl Trophy Thanks Ron Trotter, Morrinsville
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He used to bash a kerosene tin to gather the faithful.
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Have just seen the Townson exhibition – it’s great, don’t miss it. Check out the booklet which makes interesting reading and is a tribute to an exceptional designer. Also, thanks Alan for the Crusader entry. Judith
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Input from Judith Wallath
CRUSADER In the early 1900s my grandfather P.B. LeClerc owned an ostrich farm at Pataua, Whangarei Heads. The family were friends of Jasper Calder and my father remembered Jasper as being very well liked and keen on horses, and of course boating. I understand that at that time he was based in Whangarei, but later on he became City Missioner in Auckland and was very popular with the horse racing fraternity, particularly the jockeys.
In 1976 Bob and I were at Great Barrier on our 45 ft. Mummery designed alloy launch Omana. Also at Smokehouse were friends Bruce and Beverley Burton who then owned Jasper Calder’s launch Crusader.
Bruce told us that Jasper had been chaplain of RNZYS and when the boats were at Kawau he would emerge from the forward hatch on Sunday morning, dressed in white surplice, to bless the fleet. Below is a drawing I made at the time of a lovely stained glass window on Crusader.
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That means Lidgards put the 4 feet into her.
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I sold Crusader to Willi Van Der Sluiss in around 1987. Jack Taylor was doing the survey and he told Willi the boat appeared to have been extended … By some amatuer apprentice.. Willis choking, and Jack laughed and said it was him when he was a newbie.. Later sold Crusader for Willi but cant recall who to.
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It is LITTLE TASMAN jn the foreground
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Jasper Calder sold CRUSADER to solicitor Trentham C. Webster when the US Navy bought TALUA from Webster c1942. Webster sold her on when TALUA came back c1945 and he re-purchased her from the USN.
Subsequent owners included E.W. Burnard (1966) and Jeff Andrews (1999).
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Mansion House pic shows my old Sheryl in the middle, and is that Little Tasman in the foreground?
Yes the Townson exhibition is well worth a visit to appreciate a New Zealand design genius, after all whose designs do three of NZ’s well known boat designers choose to sail for themselves – yes Des’s !
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